Baby bath tub safety device



April 9, S

BABY BATH TUB SAFETY DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Z fi,2 A

' Ap 9, 1957 J TUMAS 2,788,055

BABY BATH TUB SAFETY DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1953 IN V ENTOR.

April 9, 1957 TUMAS 2,788,055

BABY BATH TUB SAFETY DEVICE Filed Au 1s, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

April 9, 1957 Tums 2,788,055

BABY BATH TUB SAFETY DEVICE Filed Aug. 13, 1953 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5INVENTOR.

A RNEY United States Patent BABY BATH TUB SAFETY DEVICE John Tumas,Marshall, Mich.

Application August 13, 1953, Serial No. 374,059

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-365) This invention relates to a bath tub safetydevice.

The object of my invention is to provide a safety device, especiallyadapted for infants bathing, where a baby may be placed within apartially filled tub, without any danger of falling or injury. Anotherobject is to provide a safety device for infants for playing in shallowwater when left alone, or easily swung to a position outside the tubwhen desired.

A further object is to provide a bath tub safety device,

for adults, especially designed and adapted for a hand safety bar forentering, or leaving, the tub without danger of slipping, or falling. Astill further object is to provide a tub safety device that'rnay beeasily adjusted to various positions, either within or without the tubwalls, or easily removed from the tub supports when desired.

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The bath tub W illustrates any standard form of tub as is normallyinstalled Within the house bath room floor X and side walls Y and Z.

The bearing support A is preferably formed of a short tubular section 1,and is rigidly mounted in a vertical position within a suitable circularfloor flange unit 2. The

floor flange 2 is securely attached to the bath room floor X, positionedadjacent the tub side wall, by suitable floor screws 3, and preferablypositioned near the tub outlet end unit y (or at any other desiredposition). The tubular bearing support is extended to a position nearthe tub top edge, and may be securely attached thereto, by any suitablemeans, such as a band clamp unit 4 attachable to the tub walls by meansof suitable screws, or toggle bolt units as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4of the drawings, or by any other suitable clamping means as illustratedin Figs. 5 and 6, or by wall brace as shown in Fig. 9. Near the base ofthe tubular section 1 is mounted a fixed lock pin 6, positionedhorizontally across the tube. A spring lock and release latch 7 ismounted on the hearing support tube side, preferably positioned slightlyabove the lock pin 6, said latch being provided with a projected lockpin 8 positioned to enter the tube side wall recess a, and projectedtherethroug'n when released. Adjustably mounted within the tubularbearing support A is a tubular extension support bar 9, extended tonearly the full depth Another object is'to provide a convertible bathtub safety device that is simple in construction, easily and efiicientlyinstalled and operated, and that can be manufactured at a very low cost.

' These several objects are attained in the preferred form by theconstruction and arrangement of parts as are more specificallyhereinafter set forth.

Similar parts on all drawings are marked by similar numerals or letters.

Fig. l is a side elevation view of a standard type of bath tub, showingone form of my safety device mounted thereon.

Fig. 2is a top view of the bath tub, showing the general arrangement ofthe assembled device as adapted for infant bathing.

i Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view as taken on the line 3-3 of the Fig.1, showing the relative position of the various unit sections.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the operating mechanism astaken on the line 44 of the Fig. 1, showing the structural design andarrangement of the various operating parts, and means for locking andreleasing same. Fig. 5 illustrates a modified cross-sectional view astaken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing a preferred tub bearing supportattaching means. v Fig. o'likewise illustrates a further modifiedcrosssectional view as taken on the same line 33 of the Fig. 1, showinga modified extension support design especially adapted for admittingbath tub curtains as may be mounted thereon.

Figs. 7 to 9 further illustrate various detail modifications.

In general, my invention comprises a rigid vertical bearing support,having a tubular extension support member adjustably mounted therein,designed to curve and project over the bath tub walls, connectingtherewith, providing a rigid support member for either hand connection,or for supporting an infants basket swing unit mounted thereon.

I will now describe more fully the detailed construction of my device,referring to the drawings and the marks thereon.

of the bearing tube 1, the support bar lower end being formed withelongated wall slots b, preferably arranged at right angles across thetube end, designed and posi-, tioned to engage the bearing support lockpin 6 at chosen positions, when lowered thereon. Within the lower end ofthe extension bar 9 is fixedly mounted a rigid spring block in, whichengages a stressed support coil spring 11 extended to and engages withthe lock pin 6. The spring 11 is stressed sufiiciently to support andraise the extension bar 9 when released, and unlock the tubular endnotches b from the lock pin 6, leaving the tubular support bar 9 freefor removal from the bearing support unit A, or rotation therein to anydesired position, within or without the bath tub. However, when thesupport arm is depressed, forcing the tubular end slots b over the lockpin 6, in any chosen position, it is securely locked therein by theengaging latch pin 8 projected from the spring release latch 7 mountedon the support bearing A, displacing the pin 8 through both wall ports aand 0, thus retaining the extended support bar 9 in position untilreleased by further operation of the spring'latch unit. The tubularextension bar 9 is extended and curved at a chosen elevation above thebath tub walls, to project horizontally across the tub and down to theopposite tub side wall where it engages a fixed tub wall support 12 alsorigidly mounted on the tub back wall edge, as illustrated either in Fig.3 or 4 utilizing either screws or toggle bolts 5 or by the special clampmeans illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 of the'drawings. The'projectedtubular bar end is designed to engage and fit'the special support boss dformed thereon. Both bearing 1 and bar 9 may be made square if desired,and designedwith-freeinner eiidfas in Fig. 10. n

Fixedly mounted on the horizontal section of the extension support bar 9are special swing clamps 13, designed for receiving and supporting aninfants swing chair D, of any chosen design, preferably for preventingthe infant escaping therefrom, the swing chair preferably being attachedby flexible rope, or other suitable support units 14, the length ofwhich is predetermined by the depth of the tub water desired within thetub bottom, either for bathing, or for allowing the infant to playtherein when left alone. The support arm 9 and attached basket swing isremovable from over the tub by release of the latch spring 7, andlifting and rotating the arm 9, with swing chair D, to the tub outside.Bearing tube 1 3 may be positioned within the tub walls if desired, asillustrated in Fig. 10.

To better adapt my invention to commercial use for the various types andsize of available bath tubs, the extension support bar 9 may be madeadjustable in width by adapting adiustable tubular bar sections 9a and9b, one slidable within the other to the desired tub width, asillustrated in the Fig. 4 of the drawings. The use and operation isexactly the same as previously described.

The Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings illustrate the same device, butslightly modified in detail design of the tub attaching means, utilizingspecial bearing support clamp bands attaching directly to the bearingsupport tube 1, the clamp band being designed with a wall hook arm eprojected from said clamp edge and designed to fit over the top edge ofthe tub wall, and with the clamp hook drawn tightly thereon. Clamp 15may be adjustable as in Fig. 7. No perforations or bolt holes arerequired in the tub walls as in the previous designs. Likewise, theinner wall support block 12a as illustrated in the Fig. 5, is providedwith the boss support a as in the former case, and may be attached tothe tub wall edge by spring, or clamp means, being formed to presstightly over the tub edge, and if desired, may also be applied withsuitable adhesive, or liquid solder for more permancntly retaining samethereon. A further modified design of the frame for the support block 12is illustrated in the Fig. 6 of the drawings, showing the support block12b attachable to the tub edge, and with the side bar f cxtended andformed with a special tloor clamp g, attachable to the bath room floor Xby suitable screw 16, also without any tub wall perforations. Theoperation is exactly the same as previously described for the previousdesigns. The support block 12 may be omitted as illustrated in Figs. 7and 10, when desired. When bath tub curtains are to be used, orotherwise desirable, the extension support bar 9 may be formed anddesigned S-shape at the outer tub edge, as illustrated in the Figs. 6and it), thus allowing the bath curtains V to be used therewith, by aslight slitting of the curtain edges, and without changing the unitoperations.

The extension bar 9 either tubular or square is adaptable both for theattached infants swing chair unit D, and for a rigid hand safety supportfor both unattended children and adults, entering or leaving the bathtub unit, or hanging bath utensils thereon.

Having fully described my baby bath and tub safety device, what I claimas my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bath tub safety device adapted for a bath tub installed within abath room floor and walls, and used therewith, comprising a verticalswivel tubular bearing support having means for rigidly attaching sameto the bath room floor and the bath tub wall, a swivel tubular extensionsupport arm adjustably and rotatably mounted within the vertical bearingsupport tube, said extension support arm being designed and formed toproject up above and over the bath tub and downward to the opposite tubwall, means rigidly attached to said opposite tub wall edge, designedand positioned to engage and retain said extension support arm and whenadjusted thereon, spring means mounted within the bearing supportengageable with the inclosed swivel support arm for supporting andlifting same when released, and latch means fixedly mounted on thebearing support walls engageable with said support arm for locking samein various predetermined positions, said arm being designed for mountingdetachable units thereon.

2. A baby bath and tub safety device adapted for installation on a bathtub installed Within a bath room, and used therewith, comprising avertical tubular swivel bearing support having means for rigidlyattaching same to both the bath tub wall and the bath room floor, aswivel tubular extension support arm adjustably mounted within thevertical bearing support, said extension support arm being designed andformed to project above and horizontally over the bath tub and downwardto the opposite tub wall edge, support means attached to the tub walledge designed to engage and fit said extension support arm and whenadjusted thereon, a baby swing support means mounted on said support armcentrally over the bath tub opening, spring means mounted within thetubular bearing support engagable with the inclosed swivel support armand section for lifting and supporting same when released, and latchmeans mounted on said bearing support designed and positioned engagablewith the inclosed vertical support arm end for locking same in anychosen predetermined position.

3. A baby bath and tub safety device adapted for installation on a bathtub installed within a bath room floor and walls, and used therewith,comprising a vertical tubular swivel bearing support having flangedmeans for rigidly attaching same to the bath room floor and adjustableclamp means mounted thereon for engaging and clamping to the bath tubwall edge, a tubular swivel extension support arm designed with end locknotches, rotatably and adjustably mounted within the bearing support,said extension support arm being designed and formed to project aboveand horizontally over the bath tub and downward to the opposite tub walledge, clamp hook support block means attached fixedly to the tub walledge designed and positioned to engage the extended support arm and whenadjusted thereon, a baby swing basket mounted on the extended supportarm horizontal section, positioned centrally over the bath tub opening,spring means mounted Within the tubular bearing support engagable withthe inclosed swivel support arm end section, designed for supporting anddisplacing same from the end lock notches when released, and a springlatch means mounted on said bearing support wall, also positionedengagable with the inclosed support arm end section, for locking orreleasing same in various predetermined positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS320,487 Matthie June 23, 1885 1,239,524 Root Sept. 11, 1917 1,376,247Bishop Apr. 26, 1921 1,892,274 Henschen Dec. 27, 1932 2,624,053 BeckwithJan. 6, 1953 2,664,142 Scheuerman et a1. Dec. 29, 1953

